Predicting posttraumatic epilepsy using admission electroencephalography after severe traumatic brain injury.

Objective: Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) develops in as many as one third of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, often years after injury. Analysis of early electroencephalographic (EEG) features, by both standardized visual interpretation (viEEG) and quantitative EEG (qEEG) analysis, may aid early identification of patients at high risk for PTE.

Methods: We performed a case-control study using a prospective database of severe TBI patients treated at a single center from 2011 to 2018.

Progressive myelopathy in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease: A new mimicker of progressive multiple sclerosis?

Background MOG-IgG-associated disease (MOGAD) in adults typically presents as a monophasic or relapsing optic, spinal, or opticospinal neuroinflammatory syndrome. Current recommendations discourage testing for MOG-IgG in patients with clinical or paraclinical findings more typical of MS, or in patients with a progressive clinical course. However, this approach may impede identification of the full phenotypic spectrum of this recently described disorder.

Massive Orofacial Hemorrhage Treated with the Micro Vascular Plug System.

Background: This case series describes the use of the Medtronic Micro Vascular Plug (MVP) system in the treatment of acute massive orofacial hemorrhages in patients with cancer and trauma, resulting in successful hemostasis in these emergent cases.

Case Description: The first case describes a patient who presented with life-threatening oropharyngeal hemorrhage after a motor vehicle accident. In the second case, a patient with oropharyngeal cancer presented with life-threatening bleeding from an ulcerated tumor.

Antibody characterization using immunosignatures.

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have the potential to work as biological therapeutics. OKT3, Herceptin, Keytruda and others have positively impacted healthcare. Antibodies evolved naturally to provide high specificity and high affinity once mature.

Cytokine Alterations in Schizophrenia: An Updated Review.

Schizophrenia, a multisystem disorder with an unknown etiology, is associated with several immune dysfunctions, including abnormal levels of circulating cytokines. In this review, we investigated the changes of cytokines in schizophrenic patients, their connection with behavioral symptoms severity and their potential clinical implications. We also assessed the possible causative role of abnormal cytokine levels in schizophrenia pathogenesis.

Untangling narcolepsy and diabetes: Pathomechanisms with eyes on therapeutic options.

Narcolepsy (NA) is a primary sleep disorder characterized by loss of hypocretinergic/orexinergic neurons. NA is associated with an increased risk for metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus (DM). Proposed mechanisms for this association are alterations in food intake, disruption of energy balance, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity, as well as inflammation and genetic factors.

Association of the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of the Genes Encoding IL-2 and IFN-γ With Febrile Seizure.

Inflammatory elements and genetics have major roles in febrile seizures (FS) pathogenesis. Seventy patients were enrolled and compared with 139 controls. The allele and genotype frequency of the IL-2 gene at -330 and +166 positions and the IFN-γ at +874 position were determined.

Neurotransmission systems in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is histologically characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein particles, known as Lewy bodies. The second most common neurodegenerative disorder, PD is widely known because of the typical motor manifestations of active tremor, rigidity, and postural instability, while several prodromal non-motor symptoms including REM sleep behavior disorders, depression, autonomic disturbances, and cognitive decline are being more extensively recognized. Motor symptoms most commonly arise from synucleinopathy of nigrostriatal pathway.

Proteins brighten the brain.

Through selective activation/inhibition or dissection of neuronal circuits, optogenetic tools have raised hopes for a better understanding of neuropsychiatric mechanisms and therapeutic targets for various disorders. Although, overcoming serious limitations result in from conventional neuronal circuit study, this method has its own imperfections, such as optogenetic modulation of neural activity, using an internal, animal-generated, light source. In this review, limitations of external light delivery systems and possible approaches for using internal light sources in laboratory animals and perhaps, human being, are being addressed.

Neuromyelitis optica and pregnancy.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and the associated NMO spectrum disorders are demyelinating disorders affecting the spinal cord and optic nerves. It has prominent female predominance and many of these patients are in their childbearing years. As pregnancy seems to have a major impact on this disease course, in this review, recent studies with a focus on this disease and pregnancy and safety of available treatment options during this period are discussed.

Association of Interleukin-1 Gene Cluster and Interleukin-1 Receptor Polymorphisms With Febrile Seizures.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a key role in inflammation, has an effect on a wide variety of cells, and often leads to tissue destruction. While the ratio between IL-1 and IL-1Ra could influence the development of different diseases of the central nervous system, its gene polymorphisms were investigated in a group of patients with febrile seizures. Ninety patients with febrile seizures were enrolled and compared with 140 controls.

Potential role of immunoglobulin replacement therapy on MRI measures in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the nervous system. In the early disease course, axonal loss and neurodegeneration occurs that could possibly lead to irreversible neurological impairments. Preventing brain atrophy may have important clinical implications affecting treatment decisions in the future.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of TNF-Α gene in febrile seizures.

Febrile seizures (FS) is the most common seizure disorder during childhood. This study was performed in 78 patients with FS and 137 control subjects to assess polymorphisms of the TNF-α gene at positions -308 and -238, using the polymerase chain reaction and the sequence specific primers method. The highest positive allelic association that made the patients susceptible to FS was seen for TNF-α -238/G (p<0.

Association of TGFB, but not IL10, single nucleotide polymorphisms with febrile seizures.

Purpose: Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common convulsive event in children. Inflammatory elements and genetics seem to have major roles in their pathogenesis.

Methods: Seventy nine patients with FS were enrolled in this study and compared with 140 controls.

Autophagy in Alzheimer's disease.

Autophagy is a vesicle and lysosome-mediated degradative pathway that is essential for protein homeostasis and cell health. In particular, compared to nonneuronal cells, neurons are dependent on high basal autophagy for survival. There is emerging agreement that defects in autophagy are likely to contribute to the neurodegenerative processes in numerous diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Efficacy of pregabalin in childhood refractory partial seizure.

Objective: About one third of partial seizures are refractory to treatment. Several anticonvulsant drugs have entered the market in recent decades but concerns about intolerance, drug interactions, and the safety of the drug are notable. One of these new anticonvulsants is pregabalin, a safe drug with almost no interaction with other antiepileptic drugs.

Seroprevalence of NMO-IgG Antibody in Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and Its Specificity in Differentiating NMO from Other Demyelinating Diseases with Overlap Symptoms: An Iranian Experience.

Neuromyelitis optica is an inflammatory demyelinating disease (IDD) of the CNS, which mainly affects optic nerve and spinal cord. Autoantibodies against aquaporin-4 also known as NMO-IgG have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NMO. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of NMO-IgG assay for diagnosing NMO patients and differentiating them from MS patients and those with undifferentiated IDD with overlap symptoms.

Association of IL6 single nucleotide polymorphisms with febrile seizures.

Febrile seizures (FSs) are the most common convulsive event in children. Inflammatory elements and genetics have major roles in their pathogenesis. As of the importance of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in FS, this study was performed to assess IL6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a group of patients with FS.

Hypothalamic hamartoma in an unusual case with delayed puberty.

Hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) is a rare intracranial lesion that usually presents with classic triad of central precocious puberty, gelastic epilepsy, and developmental delay. Herein, a 14-year old boy is presented in whom the diagnosis of HH was made by magnetic resonance imaging. While he did not have any complain of precocious puberty, he surprisingly suffered from delay in puberty.

MicroRNAs and multiple sclerosis: from physiopathology toward therapy.

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an emerging group of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally, by targeting messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for translational repression or degradation. They have roles in multiple facets of immunity, from regulation of cell development to activation and function in immune responses. Recent evidence underlines an involvement of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases as well as multiple sclerosis (MS).